This is a very important read in our industry. This is why we get NSF Certified for Sport. This is why we’re label-claim obsessed. Because the core of ethical business practices is not about making money, higher margins, or taking risks. It’s not about popularity. And it’s most certainly not about racking up sales at any cost. In our industry, at the core of everything we do, trust is the most important. P4 athletes need to know that they are doing the right thing for their bodies, and in order to make that decision, they need to know what’s in the product. That is why we lean so heavily on NSF, The Public Health and Safety Organization, to thoroughly evaluate and verify our products. For the health and safety of our athletes, this step is critical in our industry.

The Danger of Unproven Products

Recently USPlabs, which sold the best-selling workout supplement Jack3d, was presented with criminal charges for the unlawful sale of nutritional supplements. Concurrently, the U.S. Justice Department announced a larger probe by federal agencies aimed at stemming the sale of unproven products.

The indictment says that USPlabs LLC used a synthetic stimulant made in China to make Jack3d and OxyElite Pro but told retailers that the supplements were manufactured from plant extracts.

“From California to Maine, consumers ingest pills, powders and liquids every day, not knowing whether they are wasting money or whether they may end up harming, rather than helping, themselves. Unfortunately, many of these products are not what they purport to be or cannot do what the distributors claim they can do,” said Benjamin C. Mizer, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General.

The indictment also said that there were a rash of liver injuries associated with the product OxyElite Pro Advanced Formula in late 2013, and several users needed liver transplants.

Unfortunately, this happens all too often. Five civil cases were filed around the same time, alleging the improper sale of a range of supplements. The Federal Trade Commission filed lawsuits against three more companies, alleging that they sold or advertised deceptive or unproven workout or weight loss supplements.